26 killed, 100 injured in Nagaland blasts
DIMAPUR/GUWAHATI, OCT. 2.In a sudden outburst of violence in the North-East, 45 persons were killed and about 150 injured in a series of bomb blasts and firing by militants in Nagaland and Assam today. Twentysix persons, including women and ...

Army to import helicopters for Siachen duty
NEW DELHI, OCT. 2. Even as India and Pakistan discuss the possibility of demilitarising the Siachen Glacier, called the highest battleground in the world, the Army is going ahead with long-term plans to ferry its troops and keep them replenished ...

Depression may bring rain in coastal districts
CHENNAI, OCT. 2. A depression formed over the southeast Bay of Bengal and it lay centred this morning about 750 km east southeast of Chennai. ``It is likely to intensify further and move in a northwesterly direction,'' said a special weather ...

Homage paid to Shastri
NEW DELHI, OCT. 2.The President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, today led the nation in paying tributes to the former Prime Minister, Lal Bahadur Shastri, on his 100th birth anniversary. The Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, also launched the birth ...

Oil leak near Mormugao
PANAJI, OCT. 2.Oil has leaked from a pipeline of the Indian Oil Corporation in the sea. This happened near the Mormugao Port Trust area last evening. Police sources said the leakage had been neutralised.  UNI ...

Congress expelles 22 rebels
MUMBAI, OCT. 2.The Congress today expelled 22 of the party rebels for contesting against the official candidates for the Maharashtra Assembly elections. So far, 27 rebels have been expelled.  PTI ...

Vajpayee defers visit
NEW DELHI, OCT. 2.The former Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, has postponed his proposed visit to Maharashtra for the poll campaign as he has `pain in his knees.' He was to visit the State on Monday and Wednesday.  ...

Varsity rights restored
NEW DELHI, OCT. 2.The Centre has restored the autonomy to the Deemed and Central Universities. It has given them the option to conduct their own entrance tests or participate in the all-India entrance exams for undergraduate ...

U.P. calls in Army
GHAZIABAD, OCT. 2.The Uttar Pradesh Government today called in the Army to defuse explosives found among imported scrap metal at a steel factory near here. A blast at the place killed 10 persons on Thursday.  ...

ISI chief elevated
ISLAMABAD, OCT. 2.The Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, today appointed the ISI chief, Ahsanul Haq as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Military Staff. He also appointed the Karachi Corps Commander, Ahsan Saleem Hayat, as Vice-Chief of the ...

India, Nepal reach pact
KATHMANDU, OCT. 2.India has agreed to suspend the construction of the Mahalisagar barrage across the India-Nepal border in Kapilbastu district. This follows a request by Nepal, which suffered floods in the district.  ...